Visual Map

Support for children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

What is the visual map?

A visual diagram that maps the supports and services for children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

There are two parts:

the Landscape map – showing the experience of most families from finding out their child’s hearing level, to language learning, audiology and devices through to the Deaf education system; and

the Education Pathways – showing the options available to your child, or children, depending on where you live.

How to use the map

Download and/or print the two PDF documents linked below, if possible please print in colour, it will be easier to understand.

Download the Landscape Map (PDF, 2.1Mb) which has four pages:

Page 1 shows the four topics that parents tackle in the first year(s) after learning about their child’s hearing level – Finding out, Language, Audiology Devices and Education.

Page 2 (blue) is more information about the Finding Out topic

Page 3 (yellow) is more information about the Language topic

Page 4 (green) is more information about the Audiology & Devices topic

Download the Education pathways map (PDF, 2Mb) which has four pages:

Page 1 is the Christchurch pathway – for families who live in the city of Christchurch

Page 2 is the Southern & Central Regional pathway – for families who live south of Taumarunui, Turangi or Opotiki, all the way to Stewart Island (and outside Christchurch)

Page 3 is the Auckland pathway – for families who live in the Auckland region

Page 4 is the Northern Regional pathway – for families for live north of Taumarunui, Turangi or Opotiki

About the visual map project

Who did it?

The Ministry of Education has hosted the NZ Sign Language Sector Advisory Group (NZSL SAG) since 2015. The NZSL SAG is made up of all the organisations that are involved in the health, wellbeing and education of children who are Deaf or Hard or Hearing, there are also five Deaf adults representing the NZ Deaf community. While NZSL SAG initiated the project, in 2016 the Ministry of Education collaborated with NZFDC to consult with parents and to publish the map on this website.

Why do we need a map?

When parents and caregivers find out that their child may have a hearing loss there are a lot of mixed emotions, and there is a lot of new information to take on board.

The purpose of this map is to show clearly the options that are available to your child now, and in the future, as your child grows.

The hope is that this map will be a useful tool when parents and caregivers are talking with professionals and organisations that make up the whole ‘landscape’ of what it means to be a Deaf or Hard of Hearing child in NZ.

You will notice here is a lot of blank space on each page to write your own notes and comments. The visual map is designed as a guide only, it does not contain all the detailed information that parent and families encounter on their individual journey.

We are working on

creating a Te Reo Māori version;

launching the final version with a NZSL interpreted introduction video; and

looking for funding to create a way to make an interactive version, or an app, something that will link to the relevant online information.